Overshoe



March 11, 1930. w. MacPHERSQN ET AL 1,750,179

OVERSHOE Filed March 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 8 INVggVTORS 54 A TTORNEY.

March 11, 1930. w. MacPHERSON ET AL 1,750,179

OVERSHOE Filed March 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I VVENTOR5 Patented Mar. 11 1930 UNITED SATES PATENT oFFicE SACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO CAMBRIDGE RUBBER COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, IYIAS- SACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS OVER-SHOE Application filed March 24, 1925. Serial No. 17,926.

This invention relates to vulcanized water proof shoes of the so-called arctic type and it has for its general object to effect economies in the manufacture of this type of footwear. Shoes of this type are known under various names, such as galoshes, arctics, buckle gaiters, high overshoes, and the like.

According to the usual process of manufacturing such footwear the several parts of the upper and lining are cut out of suitable rubberized fabric and certain parts of the outer fabric of the upper are adhesively secured together. The lining is next fitted on a last and its lower margin is adhesively secured to the margin of an insole placed on the bottom of the last. This lining fits the last snugly. Its rubberized surface is outside and it usually has a fleeced surface which is placed inside or next to the last. The upper neXt is applied to the lining, the inner surface of this upper being rubberized, and the parts of the upper are placed in the proper relationship'to the lasted lining and the last and are secured in place by the adhesion of the tacky rubberized surfaces of the lining and outer fabric to each other. The stays, sole pieces, f-oxing, etc. are subsequently located in their proper places on the insole and upper, thus completing the making operations, and the shoe then is vulcanized. After this operation the lining is cut vertically down the opposite sides of the leg of the last, thus releasing the lining so that the shoe may then be removed from the last.

This process involves the handling of a relatively large number of parts in the manufacture of each shoe, practically all of the making and assembling operations are performed by hand, and the greater part of this work is done on the last. Furthermore, the fact that at least one surface of each of the parts that goes into the shoe is coated with a rubber com-. pound which is tacky or sticky is a great handicap in handling these partsand shipping them from one department to another.

The present invention aims to improve both the construction and also the processes of manufacture of footwear of this type with a View to reducing the hand labor involved, performingthe greater part of the operations by machinery, and generally reducing the manufacturing expense without impairing the quality of the product in any respect. It is also an object of the invention to produce an overshoe which will be superior in some respects to prior constructions, particularly in facilitating the entrance of the foot into the shoe and the removal of it therefrom.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and side views, respectively, of a vamp for an overshoe embodying this invention;

Figs. 3 and a are similar views of a gusset to. be used with the vamp shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 5 and G are plan views of quarter pieces;

Figs. 7 and 8 are edge views of the pieces shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an upper ready for assembly with the other parts of a shoe;

- Figs. lOand 11 are'perspective views showing certain steps in the making operations; and

Fig. 12 is a side view of a completed overshoe.

According to the preferred practice the lining fabric and the outer fabric for the upper of the shoe are first rubberized separately and the rubberized surfaces are then secured together while the goods are in the piece. This produces a laminated waterproof fabric with the two plies of the fabric securely united to each other throughout their entire areas. The various parts of the upper are then cut out of the laminated fabric so formed. Any suitable material may be used for the outer and inner plies. ,F or example, the outer ply may consist of either the knitted fabric commonly used in making arctics, or of a suitable woven fabric, such as a sateen. The lining ply usually consists of a fabric which is fleeced on one side, although other fabrics may be used for this purpose. It will be observed that when the parts of the upper have been cut out of this laminated fabric, each section of the upper includes a lining which is co-extensive with the outer fabric for that section, and is independent of the lining for the other sections, this construction being radically different from that of the usual overshoe in which the lining is cut out and lasted independently of the outer fabric, or in which the lining and outer fabric pieces are assembled with the usual stays, collars, and the like before lasting.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a vamp 2 for a four buckle overshoe cut out of laminated, waterproof fabric of the character just described. A long slit 4 extends downwardly from the top of the vamp to receive the gusset 5, when one is used. The right and left quarters are shown at 6 and 7, respectively. In each of Figs. 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9 the lining is indicated at 3.

The parts of the upper next are secured together. The rear edges of the quarters 6 and 7 are united by stitching, thus producing the seam at the back of the leg, which is indicated at 8 in Fig. 10. A narrow stay strip, preferably of fleeced cloth rubberized on one side, is secured to the inside of the upper where it will cover the seam 8, as shown at 9 in Fig. 9. Preferably, also, the front and top edges of the quarters are overseamed or bound in a suitable sewing machine. The binding stitches are indicated at 10. The vamp 2 may now be prepared for attachment to the quarters by stitching the gusset 5 to the opposite edges of the slit 4, as indicated by the seams 12, Fig. 9.

Before joining the edges of the vamp and quarters together, the fleece surface preferably is removed in some suitable manner, as

by skiving, from the opposite margins of the vamp above the notches 14-14, Fig. 1. The front edges of the quarters also are skived to remove the fleece from them, this operation being performed before the edges are bound by the stitching 10. The skived margins next are rubberized or coated with a suitable rubber cement, the skived surfaces taking the cement much better than they would if the fleece had not been removed. A thinner and neater edge also is produced. The straps 15 which secure the buckles or other fastenings to one side of the shoe are next folded and laid down upon the rubberized margin of one of the parts, say for example. the quarter, these straps first being passed through the eyes of their respective buckle members 16. Next a stay strip 17 preferably consisting of a fleeced bias-cut fabric with one side rubber coated and folded lengthwise so that the fleece is inside, is laid along the edge on which the straps have been placed so that it will cover the ends of the straps. The margin of the vamp which is to be secured to this edge of the quarter is now fitted against the opposite rubberized surface of the quarter and the stay 17, the stay being set back very slightly from the extreme edges of the vamp and quarter, as shown in Fig. 9. The edges of the quarter and vamp preferably are not brought together flush with each other, but the edge of the vamp is placed just inside the binding stitches 10, as shown in Fig. 9. The same operations are now performed at the other side of the shoe with buckle straps 18 and a stay 19, and the edges of the quarter and vamp so Secured to each other are then stitched together, as indicated at 20 and 21. Preferably the stitches do not pass through the stay strips 17 and 19, but the fold of each stay lies immediately behind or inside its respective seam 20 or 21. Each stay thus connects the vamp and quarter approximately at the seam and covers both the seam and the ends of the buckle straps. These stays, together with the stay 9, run the entire height of the upper and they perform the function of making tighter joints and also of improving the appearance of the inside of the shoe. The pro jecting ends of the stays are cut off so that they do not extend above the top of the shoe. The upper now is in a tubular or closed form preparatory to lasting.

In this connection it may also be noted that the front edges of the quarters and the adjoining edges of the vamp are shown as cut with an outwardly directed curve in the neighborhood of the instep, and a bias cut stay is preferable here since it can be more easily manipulated to make it conform to this curve.

A lasting strip 22 is now stitched to the lower edge of the vamp and quarters with a staggered stitch machine, this. lasting strip preferably consisting of a bias cut fabric having its entire outer surface rubber coated and the lower margin of its inner surface rubberized. This completes the assembling of the upper, and it should be noted that all of these operations have been performed before the upper is placed on the last.

The upper so prepared is now slipped over a last 23, Fig. 10, the top being held with the usual rubberized strips 2% which are temporarily joined to the opposite sides of the upper at its top. The strip 22 next is lasted over upon the margin of an insole 25 which is placed on the bottom of the last. At this time the upper should be folded snugly around the leg portion of the last andv secured in this position by fastening the buckles together, thus making the usual bellows fold in the top of the over-shoe. From this point on the making operations are essentially like those of prior processes. A binder strip 26 is placed around the fore part of the shoe covering the lasting strip 22 and is overlapped. upon the insole 25. The usual collar 27 is similarly placed. around the heel part of the shoe. An intermediate sole 28, Fig. 11, is now placed upon the bottom of the parts so assembled, and the foxing 29 is secured in place, the foxing and the binding strip both covering the oint between the lasting strip 22 and the vamp 2. Finally an outsole 30 is placed over the intermediate sole, its edges are joined to the foxing, and the usual wheeling and ornamenting operations are then performed. The

shoe then is vulcanized. T

After vulcanization the buckles are unfastened, the straps 24 are cut off, and the shoe is pulled oif the last. Inasmuch as the lining for each part of the upper is coextensive with and individual to its corresponding piece of outer fabric, there is no occasion for any lining cutting operation which ordinarily must be performed before the shoe can be removed from the last.

This method produces an absolutely waterti ht shoe, the rubber layer which joins the plies of the upper together flowing in around the stitches during vulcanization and elfectually closing the needle holes through which water otherwise might work.

Due to the fact that the outer fabric and the lining for the upper are united while the goods are in the piece, and before any of the parts of the upper have been cut out, the number of pieces which must be handled in making an individual shoe is greatly reduced. Not only this, but the handling of these parts is facilitated by the fact that they do not present a rubberized tacky surface which adheres to almost everything with which it comes in contact. It will also be evident that a smaller number of patterns or cutting dies is required.

Since all of the assembling of the upper is performed before it goes to the last, a much greater number of shoes can be made on a given number of lasts. Furthermore, since the parts of the upper are united by machine operations, a substantial saving is effected over those processes which require the assembling operations to be performed on the last,

or in which the various parts of the outer fabric and lining are adhesively assembled by hand before the upper goes to the last. It should also be noted that the overshoe shown includes no buckle pocket or strap pocket,

but that the vamp and quarters are entirely,

vamp and quarters. The overshoe, therefore,

can be put on or taken off without the foot catching in the instep or heel, as so frequently happens in overshoes of prior constructions. By locatin the raw edges of the vamp just inside the edge binding stitches 10, the

Conseraw edges are concealed, or at least made reiatively inconspicuous, while the binding gives the top ,of the shoe a finished and attractive appearance, and prevents any ravel-u ling of the edges of the quarters which would be particularly likely to occur if the top is made out of woven fabric.

iVhile we have herein shown and described the best embodiment of our invention that we have so far devised, it will be evident that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. F or example, the two quarters 6 and 7 may be made in one piece, thus eliminating the seam 8. Also, instead of usin the lasting strip 22, the vamp and quarters may be made longer and their lower margins skived and rubberized so that they will serve essentially the same purpose as the lasting strip 22. The lasting strip or lower margin of the upper, as the case may be, may also be lasted over upon the bottom of the insole, or may simply be joined to the edge of the insole, the chiefunion between these parts being made by the binder or collar, and by the foxing and additional sole pieces. In some shoes the vamp and quarters may be made integral, thus eliminating the seams between these parts and reducing the stitching operations. It will also be understood that in referring to the rubberizing of certain parts, we mean the coating of theseparts with suitable waterproof cement usually consisting of a rubber composition.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim as new is:

1. That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type, which consists in providing a waterproof fabric having outer and inner plies of fabric united throughout their areas, cutting the vamp and quarters of an upper from said fabric, stitching together the edges of said parts necessary to bring said upper into a-closed form preparatory to lasting, subsequently placing said upper on a last, assembling other parts of the shoe on the last with said upper, and then vulcanizing the shoe.

That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from a waterproof laminated fabric having an-outer wearing ply of fabric united to an inner lining ply of fabric, stitching together the edges of said parts necessary to close said upper preparatory to lasting, subsequently placing said upper on a last, folding said upper to form a bellows top, adhesively uniting said upper with the parts of the bottom of the shoe, and then vulcanizing the shoe.

3. That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from a waterproof fabric having an outer wearing surface and an inner lining surface, stitching said parts together, providing a thin rubberized margin on the lower part of the upper, assembling said upper on a last with an insole, lasting said margin of the upper to the insole and adhesively securing it thereto, completing the making operations in any suitable manner, and then vulcanizing the shoe.

4. That improvement in the art of manu facturin overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from a laminated fabric having an outer wearing ply and an inner fleeced ply, removing the fleece from marginal portions of said quarters and vamp, rubberizing said portions, securing said rubberized margins to the cooperating parts of the shoe, and subsequently vulcanizing the shoe.

5. That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from laminated fabric having an outer Wearing ply and an inner fleeced ply, securing said parts together, removing the fleece from the lower margin of the quarters and vamp, rubberizing said margin, adhesively uniting said rubberized margin to the parts of the bottom of the shoe, and subsequently vul "anizing the shoe.

6. That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from a waterproof fabric having outer and inner plies, adhesively securing the front edges of said quarters to the opposite edges of said vamp with the buckle straps located between the adhering surfaces of the uarters and vamp, joining the inner suraces of said quarters and vamp with a stay strip united to said parts by a waterproof adhesive, stitching said edges together, subsequently assembling said stitched upper on a last with the other parts of the shoe, and then vulcanizing the shoe.

7. That improvement in the art of manufacturing overshoes of the arctic type which consists in cutting out the vamp and quarters of an upper from a Waterproof fabric having outer and inner plies, rubberizing the inner front margins of said quarters and the opposite inner margins of said vamp, adhesively securing the opposite margin of said vamp to the front margins of said quarter with a folded rubberized stay between said margins, then stitching through said rubberized margins and thereby securing the vamp and quarters permanently together, folding said upper to form a bellows top, subsequently assembling said upper on a last with the other parts of the shoe, and then vulcanizing the shoe.

8. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising an upper including a vamp and quarters cut outof waterproof fabric having outer and inner plies of fabric adhesively united to each other, the. lower margin of said upper being reduced in thickness, an insole to which said reduced margin is adhesively joined, a rubber outsole covering said insole, and a foxing oining said outsole to the upper.

9. A vulcanized overshoc of the arctic type comprising a rubberized upper including quarters and a vamp stitched together at their edges and forming a bellows top, the joined edges of said vamp and quarters at the front of the shoe being curved outwardly opposite the instep portion of the shoe, fastenings secured to said edges, a rubberized stay adhesively secured to the inner faces of said vamp and quarter at their junction and extending for substantially the entire height of the upper, and a rubber bottom secured to said upper.

10. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising an upper including quarters and a vamp cut from a waterproof fabric having an outer ply and inner lining ply, said vamp being folded to cooperate with the quarters to form a bellows top and being secured to the opposite edges of the quarters at the front thereof, buckle straps secured between the margins of the vamp and quarters at said front edges, and a rubberized stay adhesively secured to the inner fat of said vamp and quarter at each side of the shoe and covering the ends of the str. said vamp and quarter at the top of the shoe being free from each other except at the ed ges through which the straps project, and a rubber bottom secured to said upper.

11. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising an upper including quarters and a vamp of rubberized fabric secured together, an independent lining of fleeced cloth for each of said parts, each lining piece being substantially co-eXtensive with its respective part of the upper and adhesively secured thereto throughout substantially its entire area, an insole, the fleece being re moved from the lower margin of said vamp and quarters and said ficeceless margins being adhesively secured to said insole, a rubber outsole covering said insole, and a foxing connecting said outsole with the upper.

12. A vulcanized shoe comprising an upper, the parts of which are cut out of waterproof fabric consisting of an outer rubberized ply united to a rubberized lining ply through the union of the rubberized surfaces, the edges of said parts being stitched together and the joined surfaces being rubberized, said upper being folded to form a bellows top, and a rubber bottom secured to said upper.

13. A vulcanized shoe of the arctic type comprising an upper including quarters and a vamp of rubberized fabric secured together and folded to form a bellows top, the edges of said vamp and quarters being stitched together the front of the shoe, stitches binding the exposed edges of the quarters, the edges of the vamp lying just inside the bound edges of the quarters where they are protected by said binding, and fastening means for the shoe anchored between said edges. I

1 1. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising a waterproof upper includ ing quarters and a vamp stitched together at their edges and forming a bellows top, means secured to said top at opposite sides of the bellows portion thereof for fastening the overshoe about the wearers ankle, said vamp and quarters being entirely free from each other at the top of the shoe except where they are united by said stitching, and a rubber bottom secured to said upper.

15. A Vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising an upper folded to form a bellows top and including a vamp and quarters stitched together at their edges and cut out of waterproof laminated fabric having outer and inner plies of fabric adhesively united to each other, cooperating fastening devices secured to opposite sides of the bellows portion of the upper, and a rubber bottom secured to said upper.

16. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising an upper folded to form a bellows top and including a vamp and quarters stitched together at their edges and cut out of waterproof laminated fabric having outer and inner plies of fabric adhesively united to each other, said vamp and quarters being substantially free from each other at the top of the shoe except where they are united by said stitching, a rubber bottom for said shoe, and cooperating fastening devices secured to said top at opposite sides of the bellows portion thereof for fastening the shoe about the ankle.

17. A vulcanized overshoe of the arctic type comprising anupper folded to form a bellows top and including a vamp and quarters stitched together at their edges and cut out of waterproof laminated fabric having outer and inner plies of fabric adhesively united toeach other, said vamp and quarters being substantially free from each other at the top of the shoe except where they are united by said stitching, a rubber bottom for said shoe, stay strips covering the seams inside said top where said vamp and quarters are stitched together, a rubber bottom for said shoe, and cooperating fastening devices secured to said top at opposite sides of the bellows portion thereof for fastening the shoe about the ankle.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed out names to this specification.

WARREN MACPHERSON. ERNEST W. DUNBAR. 

